Spiritual Warfare: 'God Tests You to See if You Will Obey Him'

God's Power for Our Battles — Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Carefully obey every command I give you today. Then you will live and grow in number, and you will enter and take the land the Lord promised your ancestors. Remember how the Lord your God has led you in the desert for these forty years, taking away your pride and testing you, because he wanted to know what was in your heart. He wanted to know if you would obey his commands.
— Deuteronomy 8:1-2 NCV

Today's Prayer

Lord, give me a fresh desire to study and know Your Word and Your commands. I confess that I have been full of pride in my own abilities and far too reliant on self. I have failed Your tests over and over. I have made so many decisions without trusting You or even asking for Your opinion. Forgive me. Help me to have a new heart today, a heart willing to obey and anxious to see Your opinion through dedicated prayer before acting. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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3 Related Resources by Heartlight

What Do You Learn from the Darkness
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When life is tough, how does faith really help? Ron Rose writes about hard times and hospital visits and Job and Israel and what we do with the darkness we find ourselves in.
Hope in the Wilderness
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The Discipline of the Wilderness
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So is there anything good that can come from our time of challenge and hardship? Mark Frost of http://www.interimministrypartners.com shares part two on the journey through the wilderness during the interim and how God is preparing his people for great things.

Illustration

Illustration of Deuteronomy 8:1-2 NCV — Carefully obey every command I give you today. Then you will live and grow in number, and you will enter and take the land the Lord promised your ancestors. Remember how the Lord your God has led you in the desert for these forty years, taking away your pride and testing you, because he wanted to know what was in your heart. He wanted to know if you would obey his commands.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Morning Thought: Exodus 14:13
"These words contain God's command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat;...."
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'Dealing with Idlers'
"Dear Disciple, Some messages of truth are hard to hear. Nevertheless, a family has to have expectations of family members if it is going to function...."
Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
Psalm 112:5
"Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice."
Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Ephesians 4:26-27
"In your anger do not sin : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."

About This Devotional

Spiritual Warfare is a daily devotional about God's power for our battles.

The Prayer for Spiritual Warfare is written by Steve Hemphill.

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